Washington Huskies Markelle Fultz Prepares For 2017 NBA Draft Like Underdog

Consensus Top Rated Washington Huskies Point Guard Markelle Fultz prepares for 2017 NBA Draft like an underdog

University of Washington Huskies Markelle Fultz is a soft spoken young man whose wisdom betrays his youth. He does not strike you as a young man in his late teens.  In fact, if you hear him speak, you can hear the wisdom of a man many years older in his choice of words. Not only in what he says, but in what he does not say.

Now, that’s not to say he hides his youthful enthusiasm or his confidence.

But he is not making brash statements to the media nor calling out other players, as some have chosen to do.

Instead, he lets the social media traffic blow past him.  He didn’t respond brashly to the social media taunts of his contemporary Lonzo Ball.  Instead, he simply used the banter to fuel is training.

Work Harder, Be Better

Markelle Fultz understands that he is not in direct competition with any one player. In fact, he is not in competition at all. That competition happened during the season. It’s now film footage. He simply works harder to be better. And for good reason. The NBA expects him to be that much better than the rest.

But he is 18 years of age when all is said and done. Despite wisdom beyond his years, and quality parenting and coaching which has bolstered his patience, perspective, and confidence to face virtually every challenge, he is still limited by his time on this planet.

Markelle Fultz is follow sage advice. He is assuming mastery of himself.

Competing With Himself

And so, he is choosing a path less traveled. In the course of one’s life, there are many apices. On one hand, there is an apex of prime production, the point where you are at your physically most productive. On the other hand, there is an apex of popularity, where you have more goodwill than at any other time of your life. But in the end, the true apex is the peak of self, the point where you have climbed to the top of all you can be or do.

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If you had followed Markelle Fultz’s play with the Washington Huskies Men’s Baketball Team, you would be surprised to see a selfless player. Despite his proficiency as a shooter, Fultz averaged nearly six assists per game. Assists count when the pass results in a score.

Score And More

He shot 47.6 percent from the floor, and 41.3 percent from three-point range. He was second on the team at blocking 1.2 shots per game, and second on the team at rebounds with 5.7 rebounds per game.

But you cannot ignore the versatility of this young 6-foot-4 guard. He can run the point, or he can score at will from the two.  He is confident enough to hold his own against any competition. He’ll lose some battles, but he will emerge from them with experience and lessons.  That simply means he’ll be better in the next meeting.

Ready Or Not, Here He Comes

When you examine the NBA teams currently most likely to choose first in the 2017 NBA Draft, you find the Boston Celtics (courtesy of a draft swap with the Brooklyn Nets), the Phoenix Suns, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Philadelphia 76ers. and the Orlando Magic. With the exception of the Philadelphia 76ers, all NBA teams appear relatively set in the back court. And yet, the perception is that all five teams had some inclination to tank this year simply to improve their odds of selecting Markelle Fultz.

In summary, that’s how high his ceiling is believed to be.

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In an excellent expose written by Sport Illustrated’s Andrew Sharp, he touches base on the fact that even Markelle Fultz is aware of NBA tanking

"I had to ask whether he’s paid attention to all the league’s tanking efforts, and his mom interjected. “Is that really happening? Are they really losing on purpose?” “They do,” Markelle confirms. “So they can increase their percentages.” “It’s weird, it’s weird,” she says of this lottery situation. “But that’s the nature of that profession. You adapt to whatever your profession is.” – per Sport Illustrated’s Andrew Sharp"

The strategy of the NBA Lottery is a thesis on probability.

Upgrades Virtually Any Team

And so, even teams with great backcourt play are striving to be the team fortunate enough to select Markelle Fultz in the 2017 NBA Draft.

Next: Washington Huskies Alumni Isaiah Thomas Handling Tragedy In Public Eye

After all, the Washington Huskies guard is about to enter the big time. How that all turns out will resolve in a matter of weeks. But Markelle Fultz is leaving nothing to chance. He may be the favorite, but he’s training like an underdog.